The Life Behind the Party :: Color Me Beautiful

This is by far my favorite thing about party planning. Odd, you may think, but I strongly believe that sticking to a solid color palate is what holds any good party together. If all else fails, the color will carry you through.

The color sets the stage, but the coordination sets the mood. Consistent color pulls all aspects of your party together, from the food to the décor to the invitations to the favors and so on.

One of the best things about color is that it can be manipulated into just about any other theme you wish. That means that if you are thinking far enough ahead, you can stock up on certain colored supplies and be ready for any party.

Another thing is that color can narrow your focus. Have you ever looked at those isles of supplies? If you are not careful, you’ll end up with a mishmash of random stuff that may have looked great on it’s own, but there is not quite enough to tie it together to give it a cohesive look.

I’m going to share my big secret with you. Ready? Okay…

I have three children which means three birthday parties each year in addition to any bridal/baby showers or other parties that may get added to my hosting calendar throughout the year. It can be a bit overwhelming, but I do one thing that helps me immensely: I pick a color. ONE COLOR. And I plan all the parties around that one color.

That doesn’t mean that all the parties are limited to that color, but that the chosen color is the starting point for that party’s theme.

Let me give you an example. For 2012, I chose orange as my party color (tangerine tango anyone?). For my son’s birthday in July, we planned a Take a Hike party at the local park where I used orange and green as my color scheme. In August, we celebrated my daughter’s 10^th birthday with a Perfect in Paris themed party with an orange, pink and black color scheme. In December, I co-hosted a boy baby shower featuring orange and turquoise as the pops of color. My other daughter’s December birthday was planned with a Pancakes and PJ’s theme with pink and orange setting the stage.

Why is this helpful? First, it forced me to narrow my vision for each party. I was able to eliminate many products and options solely based on the color. And, I’m telling you, it’s possible to make anything work in your color scheme with a little creativity.

Second, I was able to re-use so many of the supplies. The orange and white check fabric I purchased for a table covering was used for all of the parites. Plates, cups, napkins and plastic ware were purchased in bulk and used all year. Ballloons, streamers, and other party décor were recycled when appropriate. Accessories such as baskets, serving plates, etc… in my orange color scheme were not just used once. All the little things, like candles, candy, food décor (like colored sugars), cupcake liners, etc… were all purchased at one time and ready for the whole year!

Let me let you in on a little secret: red is the most versatile color there is. If you don’t know where to begin, start with red. Plan to stock up on red supplies at the holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day and the 4^th of July—basic red items like plates, napkins, décor items, serving pieces, wrapping paper, etc… It is the most universal party color there is– it’s neither masculine or feminine, young or old. And it coordinates with almost everything!

I’m telling you, color is everything!!!

P.S. Up tomorrow :: Invitations.